The Water's Too Shallow
by Alilla Unique
Summary: 'There is a state between unconsciousness and actually still being awake, just not in the real world.' Ryan is stubborn, friendless and suffers from house problems every night. All he has left is Spencer, his best friend. But after losing his friend he finds himself in severe pain and wakes up in a world unheard of. There is no way out. That is, until he is unplugged. Ryden/Rydon
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a Ryden/Rydon short story and I shall update as soon as I can. Please enjoy and review :D And I'll give you a piece of Ryan's stubbornness.**

"It's too shallow." Ryan complains, eyeing the water below him with a great distaste. Spencer, beside him, rolls his eyes exaggeratedly in his normal bitchy matter.

"For Pete's sake, Ryan. Just get in the fucking water and don't worry about getting sunburned." Spencer snaps.

"Well _maybe _I wouldn't be worrying if it weren't for last time when _someone _thought it'd be an awfully good idea to divein the fucking pool." Ryan shoots back. Spencer scoffs.

"When I'm sorry for trying to do something _fun _for once with someone who's as lame as Paula Deen." He responds.

"I am _not _lame, at least I'm not the one who sits on his ass all day on the stupid couch playing _Slender _and-" The sound of a loud splash is heard just as Ryan is cut off and soon the neighbors are startled with the sound of what sounds like shrieking.

"What the _fuck, _Spencer!" Ryan cries, his arms hovered over his head to not get any wetter (which was physically impossible, but Ryan is cynic that way), "I haven't even taken off my motherfucking shorts off and now you stupid son of a bitch made me get fucking wet! Now I have to wait out to get dry again, you asshole!"

But Spencer isn't listening, instead he's on the floor laughing as if there were no tomorrow. The constant cussing of Ryan made it worse and made him gasp for air desperately between laughs and Ryan jumps out, grumbling and muttering something under his breath.

"I don't even know why I'm friends with you." He sighs. Spencer suddenly turns serious.

"Because you have no one." He deadpans. Ryan flashes him his middle finger as he walks back into the house and this sends Spencer into a complete other route of sheer laughter.

**~.~.~**

The way Ryan sees it, it creeps him out. There really was nothing that any other person would find eerie, but it's Ryan we're talking about. And Ryan is not any other person.

Hobo stands in the doorway of his room, her head cocked to one side, waiting for Ryan to let her some in.

Ryan stares back, challenging the small beagle puppy into making the first move. Hobo, it seemed, dares too, and it annoys him how much confidence she seems to have. Only Ryan Ross can have less self-confidence than a fucking _puppy._

She seems to understand. She seems to listen and sometimes even nods for Ryan to continue when he's in one of his endless rants. She never complains and it gives him a sense of reassurance, though also lack of common sense. Talking to a pet dog does not guarantee sanity.

Ryan remembers when he came running to his room a couple of years ago, crying for the first time in years. He was thirteen at the time and it was the first time George had ever come home drunk and beat him.

He was curled up on his bed, red drops of blood staining his covers, and sobbing over his new bruises when he heard Hobo walk in. She didn't hesitate to calmly go on top of his bed and nuzzle her head into his stomach. He held her tight all night. She didn't seem to mind.

It was one of the reasons Ryan didn't have friends. He used to be one of the most popular people in school and had everyone at his feet, pretty much begging for his friendship. At that time only Spencer was the one who could say no to him. It was only Spencer who could put him in his place and reminded him that he didn't own the world. It was only Spencer who was his true friend, not only superficial.

Considering all the girls wanted to be near him because he was 'amazing in bed' and because of his 'looks' (Ryan doesn't see anything special over his lanky form and weird sense of fashion), he didn't have anyone. Also taking in notice the jocks that were his friends, but only because one of the laws of being popular was having popular friends. Ryan ruled the school.

Funny thing was, he didn't feel the power.

So he quit it all shortly after. He isolated himself from everyone, by ignoring them in class. In lunch he'd grab his tray and sit in lonely another table, moving idly his food around the plate. And well, he isn't lying when he says he'd act pretty emo, judging by the way when he'd enter the high school with a black hoody covering his face and his hands stuffed in its pockets.

Then everyone got the hint that he was no longer cool and Ryan's skinny jeans went from 'fashionable and hot' to 'gay'. It's ironic how Ryan's bullies ended up being Ryan's old friends.

And you know who stood by him the whole time he was passing through this? Who held Ryan when he broke down crying the middle of an argument? Who bandaged Ryan's new scars on his wrist with just a sigh, no questions asked?

Even though Ryan will never admit it out loud, he loves Spencer more than he's ever loved anyone.

More than he loves his father, more than he loves himself. That's the only reason he hasn't left.

**~.~.~**

"So the point i_s, _my mom just_ can't_ seem to grasp the meaning of 'college'," Spencer says, his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration while having a mental argument with himself, "I mean, I don't want to stay here for the rest of my life! I _refuse _to stay here for another, like, four years."

Ryan nodded absently, staring out the window and gazing at the sun with his mouth open and looking like a moron. "Yeah. Uh huh." He responds.

Spencer seems to sense his lack of enthusiasm and sighs.

"Ryan, if you keep staring at the sun like that you'll go blind."

Ryan keeps staring at it, his lips still parted.

"Yeah. Sure. And if I eat watermelon seeds a huge watermelon with grow in my belly."

Spencer rolls his eyes, but glad to have his best friend back in this world.

"Don't forget that if you touch a girl you'll get cooties." Spencer replies with a jaded tone.

Ryan laughs lightly and closes his eyes to shake his head, opening them again to stare at the sun once again.

"Tell that to your girlfriend. I'm sure that her mouth's been in places innocent girls shouldn't be at."

Spencer grabs a pillow from the couch and hits him on the head with a huff.

"Shut up."

"You didn't deny it…"

"Fuck you!" Spencer yells and throws him another pillow.

"Language!" Mrs. Smith's voice rings.

"Sorry!" Spencer calls back and turns to glare at Ryan, "I hate you, Ryan Ross."

Ryan smiles and takes another bite of his oatmeal cookie. "No you don't," He says before nibbling his huge cookie again, "You can't live without me."

Ryan, as well, notices how also as to _that_, Spencer doesn't deny.

**~.~.~**

"Come _on, _Ryan. Just fucking go on with me and I promise you'll come down alive." Spencer pleads, pointing at the huge Ferris Wheel in the center of the carnival and looking like a small 5 year old asking for a candy apple. Ryan furiously shakes his head.

"You can't _promise _that. What if at the last moment it breaks down and we all _die _there. You'd go to hell for not fulfilling your promise."

"You know as much as me that you don't believe in heaven or fucking hell, Ryan. Jesus Christ," Spencer says, exasperatedly, "Just go on the fucking ride. Maybe you'll grow out of your pre-teen era."

"Fuck you."

"You already tried that. It didn't turn out well."

Ryan immediately turns a light pink but refused to knowledge it. Instead he glares at Spencer with all the hate he could muster (which is little, considering it's _Spencer_) while playing the tough guy and angrily puts his cotton candy at his side.

"I was _drunk, _Spencer. You know it! It wasn't my fucking fault you though it was a good idea to get me horny while I was alcohol influenced!" He yells. Spencer goes to defensive mode too and scowls.

"I was _trying _to make you make a fool out of yourself! I didn't think you'd _kiss _me!" He stated, blue eyes bursting with anger. Ryan sighs.

"Right. Of course you wouldn't think putting your hand on a drunk guy's _ass _who hasn't fucked in years would cause a horny boner."

"Shut _up. _At least _I _seem to have a bit more _logic._"

"Right. Says the guy who cheated on Haley, who he insisted he was _in love _with, with a fucking tramp. Right in your living room. The door unlocked. And even giving Haley a extra key to your house."

By the end there is no longer any third person. Ryan is shooting Spencer's mistakes right in his face in public and Ryan thinks for a minute he maybe over-passed the line. Spencer always thinks of Haley. Ryan sometimes hears muffled sobs in the night when he's staying at Spencer's house.

There's no exaggeration taken when we state Ryan's temperament, and how easily it is flared.

Spencer, now, seems furious. "At least I don't let my father beat me every night he comes home drunk without a fight!"

.

There is dead quiet and the people who had stopped to listen their argument had froze, the carnival is no longer loud with screams of joy and laughter. Spencer's eyes widen and he looks devastated, but it is too late. He couldn't take it back.

Ryan's lips pull back in a sneer and he covers his hurt with dignity.

"Screw you." He jeers and he begins walking towards the opposite direction, leaving a shocked Spencer behind.

Once he's sure he's out of Spencer's view, he breaks into a run though the wet streets while it suddenly rains. Ryan laughs bitterly as he decides he has his own little stormy cloud.

Out of all people, his best friend?

Ryan's blurry eyes refuse to let him see clearly as he walks but doesn't stop to rub his eyes.

And all he sees is a bright light. He is shoved onto the pavement by something steel hard and a honk, and not before he feels intense pain and cries out as warm liquid escapes from his temple, he fades into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Review. The more reviews, the sooner I'll upload the next chapter.**

Ryan wants to groan. His head is pounding and he can't feel his body, except for the sharp pain he gets on his back every once in a while. His fingers feel as if they've been cut off and he thinks his feet no longer have existence.

He doesn't know exactly what happened. All he remembers is the light and the fucking pain. Fuck. _The pain. _Ryan rather he just die.

Then, he hears a familiar voice.

"Will he be alright?" Spencer whispers, and if Ryan could he would have make fun of how he feels a hand slip into his and squeeze. There's a sigh and a deeper voice replies.

"Mr. Smith, Ryan Ross has been damaged very severely. The car managed to throw him across the floor and made his skull crack against the floor. There is no guarantees, but we could only hope for the best."

"What do you _mean _by hope for the best! My _brother _almostfucking_ died _and you tell me to just _hope for the best?!_" Spencer seems angry and Ryan can hear his voice waver, just like whenever he's about to cry. Here, in the hospital Ryan guesses, Spencer is his brother.

The hand that clutches his almost painfully and if Ryan could, he would have winced and told Spencer to _let go of his hand. _That's the thing, though, Spencer keeps thinking _if he could_.

Ryan's ends up fading into blackness after sleep takes him and the beeping of the machine annoys him. He dreams of a smile and a guitar.

**~.~.~**

"Ryan, Ryan you there? Dude, _please, _You're scaring the shit out of me."

Ryan internally groans and tries to open his mouth to complain and tell Spencer to _turn off the fucking sun. _He hears the beeping of the machine once again and he thinks _Oh._

"Hey, there Ry," Spencer's voice says again and after the screeching of chair legs he feels a hand slip in his again, "The doc said there was a fair chance you'd hear me. You know, since you're in a waking sleep in all. You know what coma is, right? Sorry. It's just you're _so _stupid sometimes." Spencer laughs bitterly and then sighs.

"Yeah, they say I should probably start talking in past tense. Why the hell would I do _that_? You're still alive and breathing. You're going to live. It's just coma. One day you'll wake up. Soon, hopefully. And I'd ask for your forgiveness. I'd tell you now, but without you screaming at me its no use. I rather wait.

"Anyway, I might as well fill you in with all the new stuff going on. There's this new guy in school. He's in your grade. Cool, huh? Its awesome. He has stubble and he looks _awesome _in it. He's nifty. Really. I think you were right, though, about my sexuality. I kind of-may, uh. Have a crush? Bi-sexual or bi-curious. It doesn't matter. Yeah, yeah. I know. I've only known him for a week but he just, like, sat next to me in our lonely table at lunch while I was with Peter and Mike and smiled. He said he saw us and decided to join. Something about having a huge table for only three of us. We didn't mention you, though. Why say there's a fourth in the hospital?

"So Peter thought he was cool and Mikey didn't seem to care shit. Though I kind of hate Pete for talking about fucking all types of guys. I still feel weird around him even though it was three months ago that he announced he is gay. Jonathan, that's his name, didn't seem to care. He just listened as Pete babbled on and on about different dick shapes and sizes. Jon-"

"Sir?" A new voice interrupts. Ryan is disappointed. He wants to gather more information about this Jon dude to use against Spencer when he wakes up. It'd be nice to get some revenge.

_If _he wakes up.

"Yes?" Spencer asks, annoyed.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but it's time for you to leave."

Spencer sighs and Ryan practically hears him nod.

"Can I have a moment?"

The sound of the door closing fills the room and a cushion squeaks as Spencer shifts in his seat, facing Ryan once again.

"Alright," He whispers, "I have to go. But I promise to visit you soon." Ryan's hand is released and the sound of the chair's legs is heard again, only this time farther away. Soon Ryan feels warmth on top of his hand again.

"See you, Ryro," Spencer murmurs. Ryan feels his lips press to his temple, "I love you. Don't forget it."

The door shuts behind him.

**~.~.~**

It's so surreal. Floating in the air with nothing. Eyes closed and having to depend on your ears.

It's horrible.

Spencer, though, at least keeps Ryan entertained half the day before he has to leave to do homework. Ryan wants to laugh because with Ryan in bed for, as Ryan calculates, so far weeks, Spencer is _lost. _It humors Ryan to no end.

"So I had the _stupid _idea to tell Pete over my crush on Jon. And _ohmygod. _He kept teasing me and _told Jonathan! _I swear though, Pete's lucky he hasn't died yet but he'll be in Hell by the time he goes to sleep. It's just-" Spencer sighs, "It sucks."

Ryan, meanwhile, mentally laughs and laughs and laughs while Spencer grumbles, as if sensing Ryan's amusement.

Even though Ryan and Spencer are not really blood-related, even less twins with telepathic powers, Ryan knows Spencer can usually read his mind.

So it doesn't surprise him when Spencer scoffs and mutters a 'Fuck you'.

**~.~.~**

"Hey, dude. _Dude._" A voice says and something pokes Ryan's side.

"Gabe, leave him." Another voice says, irritated.

"What if he's dead?" Gabe asks. The other voice scoffs.

"He's not _dead, _Gabriel. Otherwise he wouldn't _be _here."

"He could be a ghost."

"Fat chance."

Ryan groans and covers his eyes with his arm, accidentally scratching himself in the process. He grumbles and, _damn. _His back hurts. Since when was the mattress as hard as a rock?

Ryan freezes, his eyes still closed. The mattress. The hospital. _Coma._

"Shit." He mutters.

"It's a nice first word."

Ryan's eyes snap over as he sees two faces hovering over him, staring. They're too close and Ryan grimaces.

"Have you ever heard of personal space?" He asks. The dark-haired one smiles sheepishly and steps back along with the one with light-colored brown long hair, who shrugs.

Ryan's eyes widen and he jumps up, starling the two intruders. He rapidly turns around and takes in his surroundings. The darkness, the green and the endless paths of trees tell Ryan he's not where he's supposed to be.

He quickly turns to the two guys who are still waiting awkwardly behind him and he glares.

"Did you kidnap me or shit?" He snaps. The dark-haired eye's widen and he shakes his head furiously.

"No. You came here all by yourself dude," He says and cautiously takes a step forward, "Hey. I'm Gabe." He introduces with an easy grin and turns to the one with the long hair, who's glaring.

"And this is William."

William seems to give up with the hard act because he sighs and finally lets his crossed arms fall to his sides, giving him a wave.

"Hey."

Ryan nods stiffly, "Where am I?" He demands. Gabe frowns.

"Isn't this the part where you tell us your name?" Gabe looks honestly confused and Ryan huffs, _the_ huff that was usually reserved for when Spencer points something about him that Ryan wants to ignore out or when Pete annoys him.

"I wake up in a forest, when there is no forest where I live. Two guys stare at me like a freak and I'm supposed to be in the _hospital_. I think I should get the answers first."

Gabe laughs and swings an arm around William's shoulders, who rolls his eyes. "Look, Bill! Kitty's got claws." He yells.

Ryan purses his lips.

"I am. _Not. _A. Kitty." He says between gritted teeth. Gabe smiles.

"You are. You even pretend to not know where you are!" And he crackles into another laugh once again, burying his face into William's neck.

"I'm not pretending."

Gabe immediately stops laughing at the honesty and seriousness of Ryan's tone and his posture stiffens along with William's. He slowly parts away from his companion and stares at Ryan with a stoic expression.

"You really don't know where you are?" He asks, suddenly sober. Ryan begins to feel nervous.

"Uh… no?" His answer sounds like a question.

"You just… woke up, _here._" William questions, biting his lower lip. Ryan nods.

"I was in coma one minute with my best friend talking to me and the next I can _move. _Just not back home."

Gabe sighs and gestures towards them as they turn their back to Ryan and begin walking the opposite direction. "Come, we'll explain on the way."

Ryan doesn't have anywhere to go, so he follows.

**~.~.~**

"We can start once we know your name, 'cause it's kind of weird talking to a stranger." Gabe cracks a smile and suddenly he doesn't seem as emotionless as a few minutes ago.

Ryan dodges branches and logs on the floor while checking the dark sides of the endless forest, not even allowed to look Gabe in the eye because he's scared if he loses sight a night monster will pop out of nowhere and eat him whole.

"Ryan. Ryan Ross." He responds.

Gabe turns to grin at him over his shoulder. "Well, Ryan. Have you ever wondered of the existence another dimension? You know, like one where you walk on the ceiling or backwards? Or where everything's black and white? Well, this is like that. Only where you are right now is a place inside everyone's head."

Ryan shook his head. "I don't understand…"

Gabe laughed and flicked a falling leave out of his way. "No one does the first time they're explained."

"So, i_f _I'm in a place in my mind, I'm still in the hospital," Ryan pauses and Gabe nods, "And this isn't really my body moving, but my, like brain?" Gabe nods again, "And all of you are just a fringe of my imagination? I have to admit, I'm pretty smart to come up with this place."

William finally said something while shaking his head, "Ryan, we are _real. _Okay? All people have this place deep in their minds, but only those in coma," He coughs, as if reminding himself something and refusing to say it, "We're all in coma here. We have been for a while."

"So, you're actually people and I'm not going crazy?" Ryan questions and sighs, "This is fucked up."

"It is, young grasshopper," Gabe says, "We all are."

"Why is it I didn't wake up here the moment I was hit with the fucking car? How come I can't hear Spencer anymore?"

Gabe sighs. "Once you are here you block everyone in the outside world out."

"And I woke up here now… _why?_"

William gags as he almost let an insect into his mouth and began spitting things out rapidly. He grimaced and began cursing at the bugs in the air. Gabe kisses William's temple softly and William kisses his cheek fast. Gabe smiles while staring into his eyes and then turns over his shoulder.

"Well," He begins with a sad smile, "You'll find everything out on your own while you're here. And you'll learn to accept it. The edges of the forest isn't a normal place for people."

Ryan couldn't understand.

**A/N I hope you enjoyed it and be sure to leave a review :D**


	3. Chapter 3

"Where are we going?" Ryan asks, afraid to awake the bristling leaves. Gabe laughs, loud and free as if he'd been walking through this forest millions of times through the dark, not afraid of being lost.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark!" He bellows. Ryan cringes and unconsciously digs his nails to William's skin on his forearm. William winces but doesn't push him away.

"No!" Ryan yells, defensive. Gabe snorts and sends him a knowing look.

"Right."

William shakes his head and stops himself from rubbing his shoulder when Ryan finally lets go. Instead he shoots Gabe a glare and a reassuring glance at Ryan. "Can you _please _just quiet down? We're almost there and I don't want to wake everyone up."

Gabe stares up to the sky, or at least what can be seen of the blue heavens, and held his arms wide to the air. "Jesus has spoken."

"Actually, I wouldn't see Bill as Jesus. He's more like a… Audrey Hepburn." A voice says all of the sudden. Ryan's breath hitches but Gabe laughs while William glares at the shadows. A figure steps into the moonlight and Ryan could finally see the man. He's no older than Ryan than by a year, about 19 years old. Tall, with a sly, lazy smile on his lips. He has dark jet black hair and is wearing some jeans with a black t-shirt and dirty sneakers on his feet.

"Dude, that's why he's the girl in the relationship." Gabe laughs and William smacks the back of his head, huffing. The man (guy?) smiles and laughs lightly, shaking his head. Once his eyes land on Ryan his eyebrows furrow.

"Who's the newcomer?" He asks. Ryan almost snorts. Way to make him feel even more left out.

Gabe grins impossibly wider and he swings an arm over Ryan's shoulder. William grumbles something about going to sleep and disappears between the tress, obviously still angry.

"This, Gerry, is Ryan Ross. He just came a couple hours ago," Gabe's smile then falters as he thinks of something else, "He woke up in the edges of the forest. Bilvy and I found him when we were going to the river."

'Gerry' frowns at the last piece of information and Ryan thinks he's become more of a freak for 'awakening' at the edges. Whatever that meant.

Great. Not only is Ryan a freak in school, but in his own head too.

'Gerry' finally nods in knowledge and takes a step closer to Ryan, properly introducing himself with his hand held out. Ryan appreciated it.

"Hello, Ryan Ross. My name's Gerard." He says. Ryan nods and sticks his hand to his.

"Uh, nice to meet you… um, mentally I guess."

Gerard laughs and nods. "Yeah, mentally it is. Come one, we must get your room ready."

Ryan follows a skipping Gabe and a chuckling Gerard silently and is shocked to see himself in houses. _Houses _obviously made by man and tree wood. Gerard beams as Ryan's shocked face.

"I managed to take carpentry classes before I came here and taught the rest. We did a pretty good job, if I may say so myself." He says. Ryan gaped and nodded slowly.

But they weren't just any modern houses. They were cabins. No paint. Lights, nothing. Just walls of wood expertly stuck together to form a house. Home.

"What do you use as tools?" Ryan asked. Gerard shrugged and began walking towards one the houses where a small light, like a candle, was lit.

"There's everything here, Ryan. Not just a forest. You just have to look for it."

"And it's only you guys? There's only, like, ten houses here."

Gabe shook his head furiously. "Nope, there's much more. People from all over the world. We just decided to part away. Make our own land."

Ryan frowns. "Yeah, okay. Makes enough sense."

"Just not enough for you," Gerard laughs and turned to Gabe, "Anyway, I have to go back in and tell Brendon you and William came back safe so he could go to bed. He was getting worried." He turns away with a sigh to walk into the house.

"Aw. The munchkin was preoccupied? Tell him we have a newbie!" Gabe yells after him. Gerard throws his head back to laugh and shakes his head.

"He wouldn't want to sleep until he meets 'em! Night, Ryan!"

Ryan nods even though it's too late because Gerard had already walked into the cabin and shortly after the candle went out.

"Come on, dude," Gabe says and jogs to the front of a house, "We can have you meet everyone else tomorrow! I got to give you your bed!"

Ryan chuckles and follows. Once they enter Ryan notices a dim light on a corner that is indeed a candle, left lit by William for them, Ryan guesses. On a table along with a couple of books. Ryan doesn't have a chance to read the titles.

They enter another room where William is already sleeping, his lips parted and seeming peaceful There are four beds in total. Beds being blankets strapped to the walls in the air with heavy covers enough to keep you warm even in the worse winters.

"This," Gabe points to the bed next to William's, "Is _my _bed, I crawl into William's bed when I feel lonely. And _this_," He points to the blanket on top of William's bed and very close to the high ceiling, :Is _your _bed because I bet you're light as a feather and there's less chance you'd roll off yourself and land on my Bilvy. Okay?" He finishes, grin still on.

Ryan nods. "Yeah. Okay. I'll just, uh, go to bed now then," He carefully climbs onto the blanket without kicking William's face and tries not to shake too much or the whole blanket would flip over, "Do I sleep in this or…?"

Gabe seems to find the aspect of Ryan embarrassed very entertaining because he laughs and curls a finger in William's hair as William stirs. "Boxers, Ryan. Unless you sleep in your birthday suit like Brendon?" He raises an eyebrow and Ryan scoffs.

"I don't. And I didn't need an example of who, thank you."

Gabe smiles and slips onto the blanket and under the warm covers. "Then, goodnight."

"G'night," Ryan mutters back.

He stares into the ceiling and doesn't move, afraid of falling off. From under he could hear the shuffling of covers and it seems Gabe doesn't care for that matter. Trying to process where he is isn't easy. Trying to accept you're still in the hospital. Spencer is still talking to him. But he can no longer hear him. Pete is still being annoyingly cheery all the time outside his brain. Mikey still doesn't care shit… anywhere.

He sighs and lets his hand fall to the side of the floating blanket, since he was too fall up to hit William's face. Even with his long arm.

"Gabe?" He asks suddenly.

"Yeah?" Gabe doesn't seem to be able to sleep or want to for that matter.

"Where the hell do you get these stuff? Candles, books, tools, clothes, you know."

Gabe laughs and he stares up to where Ryan is. "Of all we told you… that's your question?"

Ryan shrugs. "I'm curious."

"Well, to answer your question, it's called Precious Possession. Well, that's how _I _call it. It's like, when you come here you bring what's more important to you from the outside. It's a replica, really. Your real one is still where you last left it. You'd be surprised with what's the most precious thing for some.

"The candles come from Greta's part. A whole box came with her. They were her Grandmother's and after knowing they weren't the real ones she let us use them. The books are Bill's. And I brought my closet. So, I lent some to others most of the time. Gerard brought a photo. Of his family. Cheesy, really but if I told him that he'd kill me."

"What if I don't have a Precious Possession?" Ryan asks, staring into the ceiling again. Gabe's laugh is heard again.

"We all have something we value. Even if you don't know what it is, you do too. We'll go back where we found you later tomorrow. You'd be surprised with that we'd find yours. Just wait."

Ryan nods and doesn't respond.

He wishes he could bring Spencer.


	4. Chapter 4

Gabe comes back from his 'adventure' to traveling back to the edges of the forest with a grin on his face, William trailing behind with a smile on his face. But Ryan's eyes are on the case he has in hand and Ryan's eyes widen, before zeroing on the black solid case. Because _holy fuck, _Ryan didn't notice before how much he missed his guitar.

William rolls his eyes at Ryan's expression and practically shoves the case in his hands. Ryan takes it gradually and he doesn't dare open in right now. He'd praise his sweet Lilo (yes, she has a name because she'd _family. E_ven though she'd made of wood and not meat and bone) at night when he'd have a quiet moment with her. At the moment Gabe's prying eyes would be difficult to escape.

"Can I see it?" He asks innocently, and Ryan wouldn't be surprised if he batted his eyelashes too.

"_Her,_" Ryan corrects, "She's not just any thing lying around." He pushes the case behind the cabinet wardrobe and hopes that she'd be safe from danger. Sure, they told him it's just a replica but we're talking about Ryan's little daughter (as Spencer would call her before shutting up to stare at Ryan's scowl solemnly).

Ryan's been waiting on the door of the cabin for quite a long time and he had not even felt sleepy, even though he was sure it was pretty much 4 in the morning. William didn't seem to mind having to go alone to retrieve Ryan's precious possession. Gabe had woken up and tagged along.

Now, being about 7 o'clock in the morning (God knows how William and Gabe got distracted on the way back and took an hour more but Ryan noticed a light purple spot on William's neck, barely hidden by his hair) they finally returned and Gabe seems enthusiastic to introduce him to everyone. Ryan feels more and more unimpressed by the minute as Gabe describes each and every one of them.

By the time William is dragging Gabe out of the cabin by digging his nails into his arm there's more daylight seeping through the tall trees. Ryan squints his eyes and he suddenly feels something _slam _into his side and make his topple over, barely saved from landing on his ass on the top of the dirty floor by Gerard. Ryan looks down to see what the _fuck _that was and is met with a pair of dark brown eyes.

Centimeters away.

Their noses are barely touching and Ryan is _extremely _claustrophobic. Pardon me if I forgot to mention it before.

So Ryan's first instinct is to shove the creature away, or, well, person. He seems to stumble away but his grin never wavers, as if he gets the same reaction very often. Being a couple of inches taller, Ryan has the advantage of towering over the boy, who seems to be not much younger than Ryan himself.

"What the fuck!" He yells. And the boy's grin fades and his bottom lip swells into a pout.

"I'm sorry!" says the boy, "I didn't mean to scare you! I just got excited."

Ryan glares at him with as much hate as he can muster. "Fucking asshole! What do you expect if you fucking _jump _on me like that!"

And then, just as the boy's eyes widen even more and his lips trembles (And Ryan till thinks '_Serves him right_') , Ryan feels a hand lie on his shoulder and he turns to meet Gerard's stony eyes.

"Ryan," He says gravely, "This is Brendon. He's the one that's staying at my cabin."

And the first thing that comes to Ryan's mind is _'shitshitshitshitshit' _because he _remembers. _This isn't the Las Vegas streets anymore, where he can just flip the boy -Brendon- off and never see him in his life again. No. Ryan's in this little world in his mind and there's no escaping now. Ryan ignores the pang of shame that hits him and just shrugs.

"Okay."

Ryan meets Vicky T (who's a complete bitch and has Gabe wrapped around her little finger -with William's permission-), Greta (a sweet little girl who smiles brightly), Ray (the dude with the mega curls who reminds Ryan of Trohman -a dude back at the Institute-), Bob (who likes glaring at strangers… a lot), Patrick (he smiles shyly and talks in a quite voice while hiding his face behind his Trilby hat and blonde hair), Andy (sort of just nods at Ryan and keeps walking away), Hayley (with awesome orange hair and a vivid personality) and Audrey (with pink hair and looks like a complete conceited whore who fucks everyone she sees).

Brendon sort of just stays behind and stares at Ryan the whole time with a hopeful gaze.

**~.~.~.~**

"Do you like candy?" Brendon asks, his face once again _too _close to Ryan's. Ryan grimaces and slowly turns him away with his index finger on Brendon's cheek.

"No."

Brendon turns back to him (retreating a couple of inches back) and his big eyes enlarge impossibly wider. "Why?!"

"Because it makes me sick and my stomach starts churning horribly. Usually I throw up."

Brendon huffs because, honestly, what type of person is Ryan to not even like _gummy bears?! _That should be against the law. Thinking better of it, it would not be a bad idea. If he even had _access _to the real world. But no. Brendon's stuck here in this little 'Comaland' like he calls it. He's had three years stuck in this hellhole and he's starting to get sick of this place. But not of it's people, god no. Ryan's cute and funny (especially when it's cold and his nose is a light pink) and Gerard hugs him sometimes and talks to him about his life 'back home'.

"That doesn't make sense." Brendon voices out. Ryan rolls his eyes and shifts from sitting in high air on the tied blanket.

"Brendon, I hate to be the one to break it to you but we're currently in a small little world made up by our minds while our bodies are still in a hospital. This hardly has any significance either way."

"But we're here and that's all that matters." Brendon replies, his wide eyes fixed on Ryan with such innocence it fucking _hurts._

"There's nothing that matters anymore." Ryan snaps because he's drowsy from lack of a night's sleep. He snapped at Brendon because he can and he _will_. And Gabe's moaning last night was too loud to ignore.

Brendon hops onto William's bed below and then uses his arms to crawl on Ryan's, much as he's seen Ryan do it himself. Ryan frowns as Brendon squishes himself beside him, their legs hanging to the ground with their knees brushing every one in a while with Brendon childishly swinging his legs back and forth. Ryan finally shoves the book he's been trying to read for half an hour down and glares at him.

"Do you _want _something?" He jeers. Brendon's smiles softly and seems suddenly timid, staring at his hands and playing with them.

"No." He murmurs.

"Then _leave._" Ryan snaps. Brendon winces and Ryan fights his guilt back, refusing for his eyes to soften.

"Can I watch you read?"

"Will you be quiet and not make me shut you up the whole time?" Ryan asks back. Brendon grins and nods rapidly.

"Sure!"

"Then," Ryan responds calmly, "You can stay."

Brendon beams and, in spite of promising Ryan silence, he begins to hum. Ryan's hand tightens on his borrowed book and doesn't say a word. Brendon thinks 'shutting up' requires not _talking. _

Ryan finds himself staring at the same paragraph in the thick book the whole next two hours while listening to Brendon's tune and after a long period of time Ryan finally notices that Brendon had stopped humming. Ryan turns to see the source for the pause of the quiet music and sighs as he sees the sight of Brendon curled up in a tight ball on the blanket.

It's nighttime and too late for Ryan to go to Brendon's cabin and ask Gerard for the younger boy's bed. And Ryan can't sleep in William's and Gabe's own bed (quite repulsive, the thought). Ryan grumbles a bit and throws the book on William's bed.

He squishes himself beside Brendon.

Wakes up the next morning to see his arm tightly gripping Brendon's waist and Brendon's face buried in Ryan's chest, his hand on Ryan's own hand and smile on his face.

**~.~.~.~**

Before. I used to. Back home. When I was still awake.

Ryan notices how Brendon winces each time he hears these terms. Only Gerard seems to know how much he hates it when someone brings back the past. Brendon can't stand it and it always makes him sad. Even though Ryan -most of the time- can't stand Brendon, he _hates _seeing him sad. A sad Brendon is no Brendon at all.

Brendon is sweet, rash, foolish and ridiculously _adorable. _He grins widely when someone compliments his new songs (since he brought along his whole fucking piano -and Ryan wonders how they dragged the whole thing back to the cabin when he first got here before remembering everyone's been here for maximum a year while Brendon got here when he was fourteen-) and kisses Ryan sloppily on the cheek when he feels like it. Ryan usually scowls and wipes his cheek, rubbing endlessly at it before seeing Brendon skip away to find Gerard. It's when he's out of sight when Ryan finally lets his little smile escape.

Greta giggled once she caught him and Ryan glared at her. She quickly became quiet but she was still holding back laughs.

A couple of weeks after Brendon would go to Ryan's cabin every night to sleep with him, Brendon finally got frustrated on having to be careful not to fall (because Ryan wouldn't hold him while awake) and made Gerard -with a roll of his eyes- undo the strapped bed from the walls and take it to Brendon's cabin.

There, Gerard strapped it close next to Brendon's and formed a huge king sized berth. Ryan had snapped on Brendon for doing this same thing and Brendon had just smiled and planted a kiss right smacked on his lips. Ryan blinked and there was suddenly no room for an argument.

**~.~.Two Days Later.~.~**

It's one of those rare days where it rains over the forest.

Brendon shivers and whimpers at the loud lightning bolts that fall next to the cabin and holds back tears as he sniffs and feels Ryan's arm wrap around his waist securely. Brendon turns around in the heavy bed covers and Ryan kisses his forehead.

"Shh, Bren," He murmurs sleepily, careful not to wake up a snoring above, "I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere." He brushes a fringe of Brendon's dark hair.

Brendon nods with glistening brown eyes while peering up at him and buries his face in Ryan's neck.

"Hold me."

Ryan does just that.

**~.~.One Month Later.~.~**

"_You know," Gabe says out of the blue while staring into space, "You have a luck. For awaking in the edges of the forest. For being the only person after the first of history. Just maybe, you have a chance."_

_Ryan whips around and his eyebrows furrow at his words. "Chance at what?" He asks._

_Gabe grins and finally looks at him in the eyes, looking over his shoulder after at Vicky T who had finally arrived from visiting the 'others'. The ones in the village who come from other parts of the world._

"_Just- a chance."_

Ryan's Bored. Not just bored. But Bored. With a capital beginning letter and all. Because it's important.

He had decided to visit Patrick's cabin to discuss the music of when Patrick was still awake and the one from Ryan's posters. Apparently, when Ryan had played a song on guitar from that one boy band that comes out everywhere -please, don't ask how he knows it. It was a threat, swear to god. Damn Peter Wentz-, he had learned that the now music is shitty. From what he says. Well, Patrick isn't too far off.

But then Patrick is doing his own shit with his CD's (without a fucking CD player) and Ryan feels alone. Not that Patrick's bad (it's scary how he's all Pete had described his dream-perfect-boy to be like. Blonde, tall, with dorky -and at the same time- cool glasses, timid, with a nice smile with perfect white teeth, etc, etc, etc.), he's pretty cool actually. But right now Patrick's in his own little world and Ryan respects that.

He walks back to the cabin where Brendon awaits him with a huge shit-eating grin. When he's about the enter the already open door he's interrupted by some heated discussion going on and Ryan -being himself- decides to wait for his cue to enter.

"Gee," Brendon sounds as if he's wailing and Ryan flinches, "It's not fair!"

There's a sigh.

"I know, Brendon," Gerard whispers, "But there's nothing we can do about it."

"There _has _to be! I don't want to stay here any longer! I'd rather _die _than stay here for another four years!"

"You know your parents refuse to unplug you."

"Kara might do it."

Gerard sighs once again.

"Brendon, I don't know your family personally but we're both aware over the fact that your sister is the _least _person likely to do it. You were her cuddle bear and only baby brother."

"But I can't stand the thought of never leaving!" Brendon cries out, "Of no way out, ever until I die of old age!"

Ryan sucks in a deep breath and hold back the water behind his eyelids at the words _'no way out, ever' _and_ 'until I die of old age'._

And because he's heard enough, he balls his hands into fists.

And because Brendon lied to him by never telling him the truth he curls back his lip in a sneer.

"_You'll learn more about this lifestyle!" Brendon says cheerfully while swinging his hand that is attached to Ryan's back and forth._

"_Why does everyone make a big deal about 'learning more about this place' and 'learning to accept it with no exceptions' so fucking important?" Ryan asks, frowning. Brendon grins and presses his lips to Ryan's neck in a rapid kiss._

"_You'll learn." He responds simply._

And because Brendon had made Ryan fall in love with him Ryan runs away and slams his already clenched fist into the first tree trunk he has neared.

The birds' wings flapping and their shrieks are the only thing heard in the distance after his silent sobs.


End file.
